Glossary

Autumn Hunting – The preliminary part of hunting from August until the Opening Meet usually on the first Saturday of November.

Babbler – A hound that speaks when it is not hunting

Bitch – Female hound

Blowing away – The quick pulsating notes of a Huntsman’s horn as he blows hounds away when they are hunting.

Blowing out – The long mournful notes of a Huntsman’s horn as he calls hounds to him

Button – Every hunt has its own button engraved with its initials or insignia. The hunt button is awarded by the Masters to followers in recognition of services to the hunt and is to be worn with pride.

Brush – The tail of a fox.

Cap – The daily charge to come out hunting

“Car Please” – Is shouted to the Field to keep to the left and to let cars through on the road”

Cast – When the hounds are looking for the line. The Huntsman may cast the hounds towards where he thinks they may pick it up. Followers must remain quiet and still.

Check – When hounds lose the line.

Country – The boundary area of a hunt as recognised by the MFHA

Couples – Hounds are counted in couples. One hound is one hound until he is with others, when he is counted as a half couple.

Covert – Pronounced cover, a wood or patch of undergrowth where the trail layer may commence his line.

Cry – When hounds speak to the line. In “full cry” the majority of the pack are speaking on their hunted line.

Cur Dog – A canine that is not a hound.

Dog – A male hound

Draw – Hounds draw a covert searching for a scent.

Entered – To enter a hound is to teach it to hunt as part of the pack, as in the Autumn hunting period. After the opening meet all such hounds become “First Season” hounds.

Feather – When a hound is not certain he is on the line he feathers the the scent ie: he snuffles along the line feathering his stern from side to side. He will not speak on the line until he is certain of it.

Field – The mounted followers.

Field Master – The person in charge of leading and controlling the Field. Always follow the Field Master and never ride in front.

Foil – Any smell or disturbed ground that spoils the line.

“Gate Please” – Shouted backwards on going through a gate which should be closed.

“Good Morning” – The appropriate greeting at the meet.

“Good Night” – The appropriate farewell for the end of your day, regardless of time.

Heel – When hounds run the line in the opposite direction, it usually indicates poor scenting conditions.

“Hold Hard” – Said by the Masters, asking the field to remain where they are.

Holloa – Pronounced holler. A loud sound made by the voice to indicate the sighting of the quarry. It should be used reservedly and only if it can assist the Huntsman.

Hound – All scent hunting dogs are referred to as hounds.

Huntsman – The person who hunts the hounds. He has absolute right of way at all times. The South Shropshire has an amateur huntsman who is also a Joint Master.

Joint Masters – Two or more people who share the duties as Master of a Hunt.

Kennel Huntsman – Is in full charge of all things pertaining to the hounds – cleanliness, feeding, lodging etc but is answerable to the Master who hunts hounds.

Lawn Meet – A meet where refreshments are provided by someone, usually the owner of the property where the meet is taking place. This person should be thanked by everyone as they are leaving the meet.

Line – The scent trail. This is artificially laid since the hunting ban to copy the likely line of a fox across country.

Master (MFH) – Masters of Foxhounds. They are responsible for the running of the hunt and for liaison with farmers and landowners. They should have right of way at all times second only to the hunt staff.

“Master/Huntsman/Whip/Hounds please/ on the right/left” – This means give way to these people as they have a job to do. Everyone should move to one side so they have an easy passage and turn you horses head to face hounds.

Opening Meet – The first day of the formal hunting season.

Point – Going ‘On Point’ is a job given to a whip or a senior member of the hunt to ride out wide looking for signs of the quarry.

Quarry – The ‘line’ being hunted.

Riot – When hounds start to speak to anything that it not their true quarry.

Scent – The smell left by whatever has passed that way be it fox, hare, wellington boot or artificial trail. It is always an unknown quantity and varies with the weather, temperature and general conditions.

Secretary – The Honorary Hunt Secretary (unpaid) deals with day to day inquiries from subscribers and those wishing to visit. Visitors should seek this person out at the meet to pay their cap to them.

Speak – Hounds do not bark, they speak or are speaking when they are ‘on the line’ (hunting a scent)

Stern – The tail of a hound, always called his stern.

Subscriber – Someone who pays an annual subscription to hunt with a pack of hounds for the season. Subscriptions should be paid as early as possible but always before the Opening Meet.

Tally Ho – A cry given by senior members when viewing the quarry to aid the Huntsman. It can be followed by ‘back’ or ‘over’ to give further information.

Walk – Hounds at walk, often known as Puppy Walking, is where Foxhound puppies are sent to private homes from the age of 2 months where they learn all about people, children, farm animals, vehicles and everything a normal puppy would encounter. When they get to big and boisterous they are returned to kennels to learn how to fit in to the pack.

“Ware Hole/Wire/Haunch – Ware is often pronounced ‘war’ and means beware. therefore if you hear ‘War ‘ole’ it means there is a hole in the ground coming up! Similarly any other hazard.

Whip in the air – usually by the Field Master, means everyone should stop where they, NOT wait until you get level with the Field Master and then stop.

Whipper in (Whip) – the person who helps the Huntsman control the hounds. This person has right of way at all times and will only give way to the Huntsman.